Punished, Tana Stone [top reads .txt] 📗

That bit of information sent heat flooding my cheeks. Nothing? He wasn’t wearing anything under those loose flaps of leather?

“Other weak spots include the instep and the eyes, if you’re fighting someone who isn’t wearing a helmet,” he continued. “Bring your foot down hard on the inside of your opponent’s—"

Before he could finish his instruction, I dropped my head and bit down on his bare arm while jamming my foot down hard on the inside of his boot. My quick succession of moves startled him enough that he loosened his grip on me. I ducked down under his arm and spun around so I faced him then I swiftly brought my knee up between his legs. At the last moment, he caught my knee in his hand, blocking it while lifting and wrapping it around his waist. His other hand curved around my back as he fell forward, taking me with him as we hit the ground with me pinned underneath him.

His hand behind my back had taken the brunt of the hit to the ground, but his entire body was pressed against me, and my leg was hitched around his waist. The impact left me gasping for breath as I attempted to push him off me.

“That was a good try,” Corvak said, his face so close to mine his breath tickled my face, and I could have run my tongue down his scar.

“I can’t breathe,” I whispered, pressing my palms on his chest and pushing.

He lifted himself so that his body was braced on his elbows, giving me just enough space to bring my knee up again. This time, he wasn’t fast enough to deflect me.

When my knee made contact, a look of surprise crossed his face then it contorted into a grimace as he rolled off me, moaning. “That was a trick.”

I leapt to my feet, leaving him clutching both hands between his legs. “All’s fair in love and war, right? You told me to find weak spots.”

He grunted in response as he lay on the ground, doubled over in pain. My victory wasn’t as sweet as I’d expected. For one, I’d injured my teacher, not an imperial soldier intent on invading my planet. And the more he moaned on the ground, the more I worried that I’d really hurt him. I didn’t know all that much about males—and even less about Vandar males—but could a knee do serious damage?

“Are you okay?” I asked, stepping closer.

Another guttural groan. Great. If I’d done real damage, what was I going to do? I couldn’t exactly carry the guy back to the village, and if I went for help everyone would know what we’d been doing. It would be a disaster for both of us.

I dragged a hand through my hair and glanced around. It was nighttime now, with all three moons high in the sky and the mating calls of water bugs punctuating the quiet. At least no one could hear his agonizing moans from where we were in the forest. That also meant that I was all alone in solving this problem.

I crouched down, patting his back. “Do you think you can stand?”

In response, he brought one hand up and closed it around mine, then flipped me over his back onto the ground and pinned both hands over my head as he shifted his body on top of mine.

I let out an indignant squeal. “I thought you were seriously injured. I was worried about you.”

His dark eyes flashed. “Make no mistake, you did hurt me. Just not as badly as I pretended.” His mouth quirked slightly. “What was the saying you used, all is fair in love and war? You tricked me, and I tricked you back.”

I was very aware of how close we were, and how heavily we both were breathing. His fingers were interlocked with mine over my head as his gaze roamed my face and settled on my lips.

“I like your hair down.” He lowered his head to my neck, inhaling deeply and sending an unwanted tremor of desire down my spine. “It carries the scent of sugar.”

My heart was thudding so hard in my chest I was sure he could feel it echoing through his own.

“Sienna,” he husked, sliding his hands down from mine and tangling them in my hair. His lips brushed my ear as he held me, and my hands went to his hair, my fingers burying themselves in his dark locks.

Need stormed through me, but also fear. This Vandar raider was so much bigger than me. He’d proven that he could take what he wanted from me, even if I fought against him. Not that I believed he would do so, but I also didn’t think I would stop him if he tried. His touch was the first one that had ever provoked desire in me, and as much of a mistake as I knew it was—he had no intention of staying on my planet—I still wanted him.

He will leave you, a little voice in the back of my head reminded me. He will leave you and never return.

I knew what it felt like to be left, and as much as I wanted to surrender to my desire, I couldn’t go through that kind of loss again.

“My sister’s baking,” I said as the fog of arousal cleared from my brain. “Our entire dwelling smells of it. As long as my father’s fermented algae doesn’t overpower it. At least my hair doesn’t smell like that.”

His body stiffened, and then he loosed a breath and pushed himself off me. When he was standing over me, he offered me a hand up but didn’t meet my eyes.

Chapter Thirteen

Ch 13

Corvak

I helped Sienna up, but my face burned with shame. I’d been so close to losing control. I’d been so close to claiming her that my cock ached, and my skin burned. I turned away so she couldn’t see how my desire strained against the